


The One Where They're Friends

by orphan_account



Category: Friends (TV), One Direction (Band)
Genre: Based on the tv show friends, Bottom Harry, Caroline is basically Barry, Cheating, Divorce, Drama, Eleanor is basically Carol, Friends AU, Harry is basically Rachel, I thought they fit the characters from friends okay, Liam is basically Chandler, Louis is basically Ross, Marriage, Multi, Niall is basically Joey, On-Again/Off-Again Relationship, Sexual Content, Top Louis, Zayn is basically Monica, and more to come - Freeform, lots of relationship drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-23
Packaged: 2018-11-01 01:36:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10911645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: (Based on the TV show Friends)High school friends Zayn and Harry reunite after Harry leaves his fiancé, Caroline, at the altar, and he has nowhere to go. He meets Liam, Niall, and is reunited with Zayn's older brother, Louis, whom he knew in high school to be a geek, but he is definitely no geek now.OR: Harry is basically Rachel, Louis is basically Ross, Liam is basically Chandler, Niall is basically Joey, and Zayn is basically Monica.





	1. The One Where The Gang Reunites

"Do you, Caroline, take Harry to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Caroline smiled at her lover. It had taken Harry four years to propose to her--something she'd been asking him to do since their first anniversary. Now here she was, standing in a pearly-white satin gown, and her mother sitting in the auditorium, watching her all-grown-up daughter while wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I do." She smiled at her mother, who gave her a thumbs-up with her tissue still in hand.

"And do you, Harry, take Caroline as your lawfully wedded wife?"

Harry looked at the priest, then his bride, then the priest again, then his bride. He stood, completely dumbstruck.

Caroline's smile dropped and she furrowed her eyebrows. "Harry, what are you doing? Just say it," she whispered, rolling her eyes as if to say, "let's just get this over with."

"I..."

He looked into Caroline's eyes, an irritated expression on her face as she waited for him to say his vows.

"I'm sorry," he said, and he dashed down the aisle and out of the church, the music stopping abruptly. Caroline stared at the church entrance where Harry had ran out with her mouth ajar, and immediately her eyes began filling with tears as everyone in the church building sat in silent confusion.

He didn't know what he'd do or where he'd go as he continued to run. The only person he knew in New York City was an old high school friend of his whom he hadn't seen in years. However, unless he had moved since Harry last talked to him, Harry knew what apartment this friend lived in--on 90 Bedford Street in Greenwich Village.

______________________________

  
"If you two don't stop, I'm gonna puke in my mouth." Liam gave Niall and Barbara an aggravated look.

"Yeah, come on, we're in public," Louis said.

Niall broke the kiss with her and giggled, dropping his hand from her thigh as she climbed down from his lap.

"Why aren't you two off having sex somewhere anyway?" Zayn asked.

"Don't you dare. Not in our apartment at least," Liam said in a stern tone to Niall. "I don't want you getting your cum all over our apartment after we just cleaned the place."

"We can go back to my place, baby," Barbara chimed in.

"Oh, then we're having a ball tonight," Niall responded.

"Oh, no, you can't stay the night. My roommate will be back and she doesn't like it when I have guys over."

"Well, then, we better make this quick." Niall and Barbara giggled and stood up to leave. "See you guys later!"

"Bye," Liam, Louis, and Zayn said in unison.

As soon as the door of the coffee shop closed behind Niall and Barbara, it opened again with Harry running in, dried tears streaking his face and eyes tinted pink. "Zayn! Oh my god!"

Zayn turned his head and his jaw dropped. "Harry? I haven't seen you in... What are you- What happened?"

Harry plopped down between Louis and Zayn on the sofa. Louis and Liam just stared at him. His lip quivered and he began crying and shaking again. He tried to speak but he couldn't without it sounding like mumble jumble through his whimpering and crying. Zayn looked at him with widened eyes and started to rub his back to comfort him.

"I left her at the altar," Harry managed to get out through gasps.

The trio looked at Harry in shock.

"What? I thought you loved Caroline," Liam said.

"I don't know anymore!" Harry exclaimed, then hid his face in his palms, wailing louder.

"Is there... anything we can do for you?" Zayn offered in sympathy.

Harry uncovered his reddened, tear-ridden face. "I need to move in with you."

Zayn's eyes bulged at Harry's words. "Harry... you don't have a job?"

Harry panted and cried more. "That's the reason why I was getting married!"

"Right. Caroline's a model," Liam remembered. "And rich."

"Your parents. Can't you go back to them?" Zayn asked.

"I talked to them on the phone when I went to your apartment to find you," Harry calmed down enough to answer. "They're angry with me for running from my marriage. They won't give me any money or take me in. Said they won't accept anything but me going back and getting married to her."

"So why don't you?" Liam asked.

"I just... I don't want to spend the rest of my life with someone I don't love! The only reason I was getting married was because I can't do anything. I didn't go to college, I have no talents... It's why I've been living off my parents for so long."

"Harry, I don't know what to say. I mean, you didn't even invite me to your wedding," Zayn noted.

"Please, Zayn," Harry begged. "I have nowhere to go and I don't know anyone, and I'm stuck in New York City, and-"

"Alright," Zayn said. "You can stay with me, but I'll help you get a job and get back on your feet, okay?"

Harry sniffled. "Thank you."

"Come on, man, bring it in. I've missed you," Zayn said and wrapped his arms around Harry for a hug. "Hey, how'd you know I was at Central Perk?"

"Oh, I just asked the landlord," Harry replied.

"I'm still staying too, right?" Louis asked, drooped on the couch and unable to move.

"Of course." Zayn unwrapped his arms around Harry, and Harry turned to face the voice coming from behind him whom he hadn't even noticed during his fit of crying. "Harry, this is my brother, Louis. You remember him from high school, don't you?"

"Louis. Right," Harry said. "So, yeah... How have you been doing since high school?"

Louis didn't look up, completely dozed off into space. "Besides my wife of four years leaving me for some deadbeat?"

"He's depressed," Zayn explained. "Eleanor just left him two days ago, and he doesn't want to be in that apartment."

"Too many memories," Louis said.

"Oh," was all Harry said.

"So he's staying with me," Zayn further explained. "I mean, both your sadness could ruin the aura of my apartment, but that's fine."

"Since you're staying now, Harry, I'd just like to say that you can come see me and Niall anytime if you need anything. Our room's right across from Zayn's."

"Thank you, uh... I didn't quite catch your name." Harry laughed dryly.

"Liam."

"All of you are being so giving to me, and I haven't done anything for any of you. Especially you, Zayn." Harry wiped the tears from his eyes.

"No, no, don't worry. It's fine, really. You've been so caught up in your glamorous life that you just forgot about me." Zayn half-smiled.

"I didn't forget about you! You were my best friend in high school!" Harry reassured.

"It's fine," Zayn said. "High school is behind us. You had bigger things going on, it's okay that you forgot to invite me to your-"

"I'm so sorry about that, Zayn," Harry said. "If it makes you feel any better, I didn't invite anyone from high school."

Zayn chuckled. "It's okay, really. You were past high school, I get it."

"But I'm not! I have no one out in the real world. I just wasn't ready for the real world, to be an adult. You're all I have, Zayn," Harry said.

"Come on," Zayn said, standing. "Why don't we all go back to my apartment? I'll make us some cookies. Besides, it's getting late,"

"I'll take you up on that cookie offer," Liam teased, standing with Louis to leave as well.

_______________________________

Zayn placed the plate of cookies on the coffee table in front of the couch. Harry and Louis sat on it, both in a daze.

"Hello?" Zayn waves his hands in front of their faces. "I made cookies. They're fresh out of the oven."

Harry and Louis sat up and began eating the cookies, one after another.

"You know, these cookies really take the pain away," Louis commented.

"Hey, save one for me!" Liam exclaimed as he came out from having just taken a shower, his clothes and hair still damp. He walked over and grabbed one, sitting on the recliner and turning on the TV while munching on the gooey dessert.

He flipped through the channels, each one making him more agitated. "Zayn! Why are all of your channels in Spanish?" he hollered.

"I couldn't afford cable this month!" Zayn yelled back from the kitchen, brewing some green tea on the stove.

Liam sighed, turning off the TV. "Well," he said, standing. "Guess I'll be heading off to bed since there's nothing on and..." He looked down at the plate that was now empty. "... There aren't anymore cookies left."

"Night, Liam," Zayn said, turning off the stove and pouring the hot tea into a cup.

"Night, Z," Liam replied. He opened the door only to be greeted by Niall, who was smiling like he'd just won the lottery. He walked in past Liam and took one of the cups with tea from Zayn's table and drank it. Zayn looked at him. "Could've just asked," he said.

Niall walked over to the coffee table and saw the empty plate before him. "Oh, come on, you guys! Couldn't even save one for me?"

"Hey, why don't you go back to your apartment for the night? They both really need sleep," Zayn told Niall. "I promise I'll make more tomorrow."

"Alright, alright, but I'm taking this cup of tea with me," Niall said, sipping his tea and opening the door to leave. "Goodnight, you all."

"Night, Nialler," Zayn replied.

Niall closed the door and Zayn took a sip of the green tea.

"Well, I'm gonna go to bed. I have work in the morning," Zayn said.

Harry turned his head to Zayn. "Do all of you have jobs?" he asked.

Zayn stared at Harry. "Uh... Yeah. Gotta pay the bills somehow," he responded.

"What are all of you guys'... 'jobs'?" Harry asked, dumbfounded by the subject.

"Well, I work as a waiter at Moondance Diner, Liam is a copywriter in Advertising, Louis is a college professor teaching Marine Biology, and Niall is a, how you say, 'actor,'" Zayn answered, making quotation marks in the air on the word 'actor.'

"What do you mean 'actor'?" Harry asked.

"He hasn't actually gotten any roles, so to say. He's an aspiring actor. I mean, he did get a couple jobs as an extra, but that's about it," Zayn explained.

"Oh." Harry turned back to face the television.

"Well, goodnight, you guys. Take care," Zayn said before turning out the lights and going into his bedroom, shutting the door.

Harry and Louis sat alone in the dark.

"So..." Louis began. "You know in high school I had a major crush on you?"

"Everyone knew," Harry replied.

"I was just the school geek. Every girl wanted you," Louis said. "I haven't seen you since high school. You know, someday I'm gonna ask you out. I'm gonna do it."

Harry chuckled. "Okay."

Louis stood up and walked into the guest room to sleep. Harry yawned and turned on the TV to some Spanish soap opera. He didn't understand anything that was going on--both in the soap opera and his life. He slowly closed his eyes and fell asleep to it.

 

 

 


	2. The One With the Coffee At the End

"Don't forget that the essay is due on the seventeenth!" Louis shouted to his students as they scrambled out of his class. He sighed when they were out of sight and sat down in his desk chair, putting on his reading glasses to look through the students' work.

"Lou?"

He looked up and took his glasses off, his heart stopping at the sight of the woman at the door. "Eleanor?"

She didn't look too well as she walked over to his desk and stood in front of him.

"There's something I have to tell you," she said.

"What is it?" Louis asked, putting his glasses on the table and giving her his full attention.

She sighed, looking down so as not to make eye contact with him. "This is hard for me to say," she said. Louis looked at her, eyes wide. 

"Louis," she said. "You are going to be a father." 

She watched him, waiting for something, anything. He was frozen in shock.

"Lou..." Her eyes began to fill with tears.

"I want a DNA test," he said. "Today."

She tugged on her bottom lip with her teeth. "I can have that arranged."

He stood up, running his fingers through his hair while walking around in circles. 

"I wanted you to be a part of raising our baby," she said. "I mean, I'm with Max now, but it is your child, after all."

Louis turned to her. "We don't know that yet."

"Okay, but what if he or she isn't yours? Wouldn't you still want to be a part of his or her life?"

Louis stayed silent.

Eleanor's bottom lip shook. 

"Okay," she whispered, then walked out, and Louis stood there, shaking his head and repeating to himself that this was all just a dream.

______________________________________________________________

"Caroline has to return her ring today."

Liam, Niall, and Zayn were all sat on the couch of Zayn's apartment, and Harry was sitting in the recliner, looking at his lap.

"Isn't that good?" Liam asked. "I mean, you get your money back."

Harry sighed. "I just feel so bad about the whole thing. She was looking so forward to our wedding, and I just left her at the altar without a clue."

"Well, you have the chance to apologize today, then," Zayn said.

The door opened with Louis walking in, looking at the floor, and everyone turned their heads. He stood in place and looked up. "Eleanor is pregnant."

Practically everyone's jaws dropped. 

"Is... Is it yours?" Zayn asked.

"We don't know yet," Louis replied. "We're getting a DNA test later today."

"I'm... I mean... Congratulations?" Liam struggled out. "Or... I'm sorry for you? Man, whichever one you feel."

"How about my life is falling apart?" Louis said as he exasperatedly plopped on the couch, leaning forward with his head resting in both hands.

"On the bright side, you don't have to be involved if it's not yours," Zayn added.

"Eleanor wants me to help raise the baby whether it's mine or not," Louis explained.

"You don't have to."

"What if I never get a child like I always wanted though?" Louis said. "What if this is as close to one as I'll get? You know I'll never remarry after her. I was in love, Zayn."

"So... what are you gonna do?" Niall asked.

"What can I do? Take care of the baby on weekends, I suppose," Louis said, then leaned back and sprawled out over the couch.

On the nightstand beside the couch, Zayn's home phone rang. 

"That's gotta be Caroline," Harry said as he picked it up. "Hello?"

"Harry? I need to return the ring. Can you meet me at Central Perk?" Caroline returned.

Harry stood up. "I'll be right there." 

He hung up and ran to the guest room and picked out a white T-shirt with some blue jeans and got dressed, then went to the door. "Bye, guys!"

"Bye!" Liam, Niall, and Zayn said, then continued comforting a depressed Louis.  
______________________________________________________________

Harry swung his foot front and back, looking down. "I'm so sorry, Caroline. I can't imagine what I must've put you through."

Caroline sighed. "Actually, Harry," she began. "I've gotten over it."

Harry looked up. "What? It's been three days."

Caroline scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, the thing is... Your best man? We kinda went on our honeymoon together. I mean, I had two plane tickets, so I had to go with someone. And then we just sorta clicked."

Harry stared, wide-eyed. "That's it?" he said. "We spent four years together and suddenly you're over it after spending some time with Ed?"

"See, that's the thing. After you left me at the altar, Ed was the one who comforted me afterwards," she explained. "And I realized that you're actually just a jerk and that Ed was really the one this whole time."

"Caroline, I'm so sorry," Harry apologized. "The reason I ran away from our marriage was because I realized that I didn't really... love you. I was only marrying because I knew I was a deadbeat. I can't do anything. I needed to marry someone with-with money, and-"

Caroline stared at him. "I knew you were a jerk," she said, then threw the ring at him and ran out of the coffee shop.

"Caroline, wait!" Harry shouted. He furrowed his eyebrows and ran after her. "If I'm the jerk, then why did you go out with Ed on our honeymoon!?"

Caroline stopped. "You're the one who left! I had every right to go out with him!"

The two looked into each other's eyes, then Caroline grabbed his face and quickly pecked his lips. "I'll always love you, Harry, really," she said. "But I realize now that Ed is the one. I'm sorry."

She walked away, and Harry stood there, watching.  
______________________________________________________________

"I have an appointment here with Eleanor Calder," Louis told the woman at the front desk of the hospital.

"Yours is the 4:30?" 

"Yes."

"Right this way." The woman pointed down the hall. "In room 32."

"Thank you."

Louis walked to the room number in which his ex-wife was in and walked in. She was laying in the hospital bed with her now boyfriend Max Hurd standing by. Her face lit up at the sight of Louis. 

"Louis, hi," she greeted. "The doctor will be out in a minute to take our blood samples."

"Eleanor," Louis said. "I'm sorry about earlier. Just know I'll be here for you no matter what." He kneeled down beside her on the bed, and Eleanor just smiled at him. The doctor came in, looking down at his clipboard with notes.

"Right," he said. "Louis, is it?"

Louis nodded and the doctor got out a needle and vile from his drawer. 

"You ever get your blood drawn?" he asked.

"Yeah."

The doctor had Louis sit in a chair as he poked the needle through his arm and drew the blood out and into the little vile. Afterwards, the doctor put a bandaid over it and called for Max.

"I don't know why you insisted on having this test so badly, Ellie," Max said as the doctor stuck the needle in. "I don't have a doubt that it's mine. I mean, we'd been having sex nonstop-"

"Okay, alright, I think that's enough," Louis stopped him.

Max gave him a look. "And if it's mine, I don't see why he needs to be involved."

"Max!" Eleanor shouted. 

He turned away and faced the needle pierced through his skin.

"And... finished," the doctor said, pulling out the needle. He stood, took the viles with him, and looked at Eleanor. "We should have the results in about a week." 

Eleanor nodded and the doctor left the room. The three sat in silence.

"Let's get you and my baby home, Ellie," Max said.

"Our baby," Louis corrected.

Max stood. "It's not yours, Tomlinson."

"It doesn't matter. We three are all sharing this baby," Louis said.

"It's not a toy, Tomlinson! It's my child, and you can't just take that away from me-"

"Max," Eleanor cut in. "I'm the one who wanted us three to share it."

Max glared at her, then helped her up out of bed. "We're discussing this at home."  
______________________________________________________________

"I don't need your financial help, mom," Harry said over the phone. "Yeah, that's right. For once I'm not gonna sit on my butt and live off you and dad. I'm actually living with Zayn now."

"Zayn? From high school? And how's he holding up?" his mom replied.

"He's a waiter at Moondance Diner. Anyway, I-"

"A waiter?"

"At least he's working! Your father gave you a hundred-thousand dollars to start off with and grow your business from there!" Harry yelled.

"Well, Harry, I'd like to see you just try and work for once in your life! You won't last a day before crawling back to us."

"Well, I'll get a job, I will! Maybe I don't need your money after all!" Harry shouted.

"Suit yourself."

"Wait! I said maybe!" 

And the phone was cut off. Harry slammed it down and sighed.

"You can look through the newspaper ads," Zayn offered as he walked in, pointing at the papers on the coffee table. 

Harry instead stood and got out a cup, deciding to make some coffee in his devastation.

"Can you make some for me while you're at it?" Zayn asked.

Harry said nothing and continued to make the coffee, then handed the first one to Zayn minutes later when it was done. Zayn took a sip.

"Hey, this is actually pretty good," he noted. 

"It is?" Harry asked.

"You know, this might just be the one thing you're actually good at."

Harry chuckled and nudged Zayn. "Hey..."

"Why don't I set you up a job at Central Perk?" Zayn asked. 

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'll call and set an interview up." 

Zayn went into his bedroom presumably to make the call, and Harry sat and drank his coffee.

**Author's Note:**

> If this does well, I'll try to post a new chapter weekly.


End file.
